Exam Board and specification code:

AQA 7201

Course Co-ordinator:

Mrs S Fawcett

Year 1

Year 2

At the beginning of the course you will undertake a diagnostic period in which you are taught a series of new techniques and processes.

These include:

Drawing techniques

– gestural drawing, drawing on the right hand side of the brain, tonal shading and mark-making techniques.

Painting techniques

– wet on wet, watercolour, acrylic painting, working on textured surfaces

Printmaking techniques

– mono printing, linocuts, etching

Photo editing techniques

– colour popping, layers, changing colour levels

Ceramics

– using the potters wheel, slab built pottery

Textiles

– Batik, reverse applique. 

You will learn about these techniques and then have the opportunity to experiment with the techniques to show your investigations. All work will be presented in appropriate forms including sketchbooks, journals etc.

Personal Investigation

This is a practical investigation supported by written material.

For this unit of work, you have the opportunity to select your own topic and line of enquiry. You are required to conduct a practical investigation supported by up to 3000 words.

The investigation should be a coherent, in-depth study that demonstrates your ability to produce practical pieces of work from an initial starting point to a final Outcome.

Externally set Assignment

You will be given 8 questions to be used as a starting point of which you select 1. You then produce practical work in preparation for the 15 hour controlled exam in which you produce an outcome that shows your skills and links to the rest of your preparatory work.

You will be expected to carefully select, organise and present all your work using sketchbooks or mounted sheets to ensure that you provide evidence of meeting all four assessment objectives ready for marking.

All work is internally assessed, and then externally moderated by AQA. 60% of the marks are awarded for the Personal Investigation (coursework) and 40% for the Externally set assignment.